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I'm discouraged by the lack or progress on scoliosis; new thinking is needed

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  • #16
    Originally posted by Celia Vogel
    Sorry Gerbo,

    I guess I must be suffering from information overload. Don't get me wrong, I like it !



    Celia
    information overload is our destiny for the forseeable future (at least for me), and how to distinguish the good from the bad, the absolute rubbish from the occasional pearl of wisdom???

    its a tough life......

    gerbo

    (read that article though, you'll find it very interesting)

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    • #17
      It seems to me there are essentially two types of scoliosis:

      1) Developmental Scoliosis - this type will usually be less severe and in many cases not even noticeable because the curve is so small and there is little or no pain nor discomfort.

      Developmental scoliosis is probably due to a number of contributing factors including sleep patter and specific daily routines that strengthen one side of the back over the other. This would include single arm sports, lopsided heavy handbags, and so forth.

      2) Genetic or Trauma Scoliosis - this type can take severe or non severe forms. It's most likely due to degenerative tissue (disks, muscles) and/or wedge shaped (or other abnormal shaped) vertebrae in parts or all sections of the spinal column.

      It could be as simple as the muscles on one side of the spine either degenerate (weaken) while the other side remains normal, or one side becomes hyper active and thus much stronger than the other side. Studies have shown us that there are essentially two types of muscles on each side of the spine in scoliosis patients.



      I think the reason why people have assumed scoliosis to be idiopathic is because 1) few studies have researched scoliosis and 2) it is so rare that even in a study conducted on normal people, the results are usually inconclusive because scoliosis will be found to develop in so few of the people that it's statistically insignificant, and that their are often more than a handful of variables involved. For example, if you're looking at the role of napsacks in scoliosis you may not get statistically significant results and you will only be looking at one out of many other contributory variables in the development of the scoliosis (note this is for Developmental rather than Genetic scoliosis). The lack of research or should I say unfocused research (because it seems the studies don't differentiate between Genetic versus Developmental scoliosis) has also made it difficult for researchers to pinpoint and troubleshoot Genetic scoliosis.

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      • #18
        types of scoliosis/research

        Here is some info on the various types of scoliosis(Hospital for Special Surgery Columbia- Cornell Universities);

        http://www.hss.edu/Conditions/Scolio...thic-Scoliosis
        Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
        Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

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        • #19
          Shaun, for your information regarding sports and use of muscles on one side, etc., it occurs to me that my daughter is left-handed but her curve fits the "typical" pattern with the upper curve to the right and a right shoulder rib hump. She is around 70 degrees curve now. Thought the fact that she is left-handed might help your interests. Kris

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          • #20
            Originally posted by Shaun26
            A brace cannot and will not correct the curve and it cannot and will not stop curve progression. Why have doctors in this area not been able to reach this conclusion by simple observation and common sense thinking, I do not know.
            .
            What makes you say this?

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            • #21
              I had botox injections in my back...

              Originally posted by gerbo
              (ps, I have also wondered whether injecting the stronger side with botox would help)
              I've had 3 series of botox injection in my left paraspinal muscles over the last year. For each series there were 5-7 injections, some in the throacic are and some in the lumbar. Due to my thoracalumbar scoliosis of 32 degrees my paraspinal muscles would become almost rigid from supporting my back over the years. After years of physical therapy I went to a new doctor who specalized in botox at a well know institution in Chicago. The relief was incredible. Long term however I'm not sure this was such a good idea. I now have more pain in the convex side of my curve, and I think by relaxing the muscles that supported my spine I actually put more stress on my spine and might have made the situation worse. But then again, it might have gotten worse anyway. The inections weren't very scientific, the doc felt around for the muscles in spasm and then injected. It was relatively pain free and I you start feeling better 3-4 weeks after the injections. Your body builds us an immunity to botox and therefore each subsequent injection requires more botox. Eventually your body builds an immunity and you'll need a new strain.

              So to answer the question, yes botox did help and allowed me to begin working out and stretching a very stiff back, but long term I don't know if I did more harm to my spine than good temporarily paralyizing some of its support system.
              Last edited by Tall Paul; 10-01-2005, 06:40 PM.

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